What a strong executive presence sounds like

When we say someone “sounds believable” or “sounds like they know what they’re talking about,” what do we mean? What are we really saying about what we are hearing and how has it convinced us?

The strong executive presence can be felt, seen and Heard.

‘Boost’ the sound of your executive presence when presenting with these tips:

YOU ARE ON STAGE: IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU: There is the ‘quiet confidence’, but a public presentation is a better place to show enthusiasm and certainty. Your voice is one of your main tools to dominate a room. Be sure to use your full power range. Nothing can sink the effectiveness of a presentation more quickly than delivering a presentation in a monotone or soft voice. Think of “presenting” in its full, theatrical sense. Let your voice really show your commitment to what you’re saying.

PROJECTING IS NOT YELLING: Project your voice to the back of the room and to the people farthest away. That doesn’t mean yelling at them. Breathe from your diaphragm (like a baby: if your hand moves while resting on your diaphragm, you’re doing it right). Your goal is to use your voice naturally, but at a powerful level. Make sure no one is straining to hear you over the noise of the attendees or conversely wondering why you’re yelling at them so much.

LET YOUR PRESENTATION BREATHE: Don’t pack so much into your presentation that you rush to fit everything in. You want to make sure there are short breaks built in, especially when you’re delivering key points or switching to a new section. That will give you time for changes and will also help the audience. Remember that we listen much faster than we process information. Especially with ideas that we haven’t heard before, it’s important that we have time to process these ideas. Pauses (along with some rephrasing and repetition) help the audience focus on and remember the most important points.

SOUNDS LIKE YOU SAID IT IN SAY: Short, declarative sentences delivered with a voice that drops at the end have power. If you leave your voice loud or neutral, it will have less power and therefore less authority. Try not to string a series of sentences together in a kind of stream of conscience delivery, connected with “and” or “then”. Instead, consider what you want to say and rehearse saying it out loud in shorter “bites.” The idea is not to memorize your notes or script in the essay, but rather to become familiar with your broader themes and rhythms so that you know exactly what you want to emphasize. Listen to yourself as you deliver your material. If you stop for breath mid-sentence, that’s a clue to shorten your points. Successful presentations don’t happen by accident. work for them and sound as confident as you are in your ideas.